In May 1983, Tom Petranoff of the U.S. set a world record for javelin throw: 99.72m. But he assured fans that the javelin could be thrown even farther. Sure enough, in June 1984, Germany’s Uwe Hohn (Neeraj Chopra’s coach till 2021) threw it for 104.80m.
However, trouble was brewing. Frequent flat landings, debates around the throw validity, and the danger of throwing the javelin beyond the space available in normal stadiums, led rules for men’s javelin throw changing in 1986 and for women in 1999.
The javelin’s centre of gravity was moved forward by four centimetres, shortening throwing distances by approximately 10% by bringing its nose down earlier and more steeply. The tail thickness was regulated, due to which adjustments that would negate the shift in the centre of gravity could not be made.
In sports
This wasn’t the first time that the javelin underwent modifications. Used primarily as a weapon, it began as a long stick with a sharpened stone at the head. Hunters would throw it to kill animals and it was also used during war. The sport of throwing a spear, made of olive wood, was included in the Greek Olympic Games of 708 BC.
In the late 1700s, the Scandinavians revived the sport. In the Olympics, it became a men’s event in 1908 and a women’s in 1932. Initially, the javelin throw was two different disciplines: throwing at a target and throwing the farthest. Over time, the latter became the modern javelin event at the Olympics.
Today, the javelin is constructed according to the specifications of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). It has a head, a shaft, and a cord grip. Made of metal or other suitable materials, the shaft can be hollow or solid, but must have a completely smooth finish. In the front, it tapers into a sharp metal point. Overall, the length of the men’s javelin should be between 2.6 and 2.7m and weigh at least 800gm. For women, the weight should be at least 600gm and the length between 2.2 and 2.3m.
Thrown forward over the shoulder, the javelin must land point first into a 29° sector marked on the field. The athlete’s body cannot rotate a full 360° and he/she cannot step on or beyond a line at the end of the runway.
A javelin throw is a technically complex execution. Think about this: a javelin is very light — just 800gm for a length of 2.6m. The athlete needs to combine flexibility, speed, agility and power for that perfect throw. Once released, the javelin sails gracefully across the field and descends with its sharp head hitting the ground.
The current world record for men’s javelin throw is 98.48m, held by Jan Zelezny of the Czech Republic, dates back to 1996. For women, it is 72.28m in 2008, held by Czech Barbora Spotakova. Will it fly farther in Paris?
Published - August 01, 2024 10:30 am IST